2014 Joint Mathematics Meetings
Marc Chamberland and Chris French
Artists
Marc Chamberland and Chris French
Professor of Mathematics
Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
Statement
Most people view mathematics as a collection of tools and procedures and get mired in the mechanics. Mathematical art communicates the essential beauty found in mathematics. As G. H. Hardy wrote, "The mathematician's patterns, like the painter's or the poet's must be beautiful; the ideas, like the colors or the words must fit together in a harmonious way. Beauty is the first test: there is no permanent place in this world for ugly mathematics."
Artworks
Lorenz Attractor in Flow
12cm x 12cm x 12cm
3D Printer
2013
The Lorenz attractor is the limiting set of a three-dimensional system of
differential equations modeling atmospheric convection. Discovered by Ed
Lorenz in 1962, this set has become an attractive symbol for chaotic
dynamics. The art work was created by modifying Mathematica code developed
by Knill and Slavkovsky. An important new component was to have the curve
which generates the shape continuously change color. This allows the observer
to see the flow of motion as the attractor is generated.